National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 2016

Proclamation 9507 of September 30, 2016

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every year, too many Americans are touched by the pain
and hardship caused by breast cancer--a disease that,
among women, is not only one of the most common
cancers, but also one of the leading causes of cancer-
related death. During National Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, we honor all those who lost their lives to
breast cancer, and we recognize the courageous
survivors who are still fighting it. For these
individuals, and for their loved ones who give their
unwavering support during the most trying times, we
recommit ourselves to the essential and necessary work
of forging a future free from cancer in all its forms.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans will be diagnosed
with breast cancer this year, and tens of thousands
will lose their battle with this disease. Although both
women and men can have breast cancer, women are at
higher risk. Women with a family history of breast
cancer, or those who are older or obese, are also more
likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. I encourage
all women to find out if they are at increased risk and
to learn more about recommended screenings by speaking
with their health care providers and by visiting
www.Cancer.gov/Breast.

Early detection and treatment can save lives. Since I
took office, I have worked to make quality, affordable
health care a reality for more Americans. The
Affordable Care Act has given millions of women
expanded access to preventive services, including
screening tests such as mammograms, with no out-of-
pocket costs. Women can no longer be denied coverage
because of a pre-existing condition, including a family
history of breast cancer, and lifetime and annual
limits on essential health benefits have been
eliminated.

Critical research efforts over time have yielded great
progress in how we diagnose and treat breast cancer,
which has produced a steady increase in survival rates
for those suffering from this disease--and it is
crucial that we keep building on these successes. This
year, the National Cancer Institute launched the
largest study of its kind to investigate the role of
genetic and biological factors in breast cancer risk
among African American women, who have a higher risk of
dying from breast cancer. The White House Cancer
Moonshot Task Force, also launched this year, is a new
national effort striving to make a decade's worth of
progress in preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer
in just 5 years. And through the Precision Medicine
Initiative--a bold research effort aimed at delivering
disease prevention and treatment based on an
individual's unique traits and genetic information--we
are pursuing new oncology-focused efforts to advance
personalized care through targeted cancer therapies.

This month, with bold pink ribbons displayed proudly
across America, we stand in solidarity with breast
cancer survivors and reaffirm our commitment to raising
awareness of this disease and to advancing research
efforts. Let us thank the countless advocates, medical
professionals, researchers, and caregivers who dedicate
their lives to fighting for a world without breast
cancer, and together, let us carry out our mission to
cure cancer once and for all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 2016 as
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage
citizens, government agencies, private businesses,
nonprofit organizations, and all other interested
groups to join in activities that will increase
awareness of what Americans can do to prevent breast
cancer.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-first.